Q. Aren’t roses hard to plant and maintain?

Not necessarily. The most important thing to consider before planting roses is your climate and soil conditions. Certain roses will not grow well in certain climate conditions and all roses like light, rich slightly acidic soil. You can fix the soil, but you can’t change your climate. Some roses bushes and plants are harder to maintain than others, so research the care requirements of any roses you are considering.

When you buy a new rose plant, dig a hole about twice the size of the plant’s roots and slightly mounded in the center. Set your plant in the center of the hole and spread out the roots. Now is a good time to add some manure or lime to the soil as you fill in the hole. Water well and continue watering about every other day for two weeks, then water about once a week. After three months, mulch around the base of the stem. Always plant roses in a sunny spot. They need about 6 hours a day of sunlight.

Q. When is the best time to prune roses?

The best time to prune roses is usually in the early spring before the plants come fully out of their dormant state. This varies depending on the particular type of rose bush you are pruning, but for most roses either the early spring, or late fall before the first frost are the optimum pruning times.

Q. Do roses really grow on trees?

Not really, rose trees are actually formed by grafting two plants together. The result is a single slender cane of 30 to 36 inches tall which has no foliage or blooms. The classic rose tree is shaped like a lollipop, although there are also weeping rose trees and high low rose trees. Rose trees do require a bit more care than shrub or climbing roses.

Q. Do rose trees need to be pruned to keep their shape?

Rose trees need to be pruned not only to maintain their shape, but to avoid damage to the delicate cane from the weight of the foliage and blooms. Rose trees do require special care in pruning and should usually be pruned either in late fall or early spring.

Q. Is it hard to train climbing roses ?

Not at all. In fact vigorous varieties climb so well that you must make sure to carefully prune them. Anchors for climbing roses should be set in cement, as within a few growing seasons they will become so heavy they can overwhelm their supports. Climbers can be used against walls, fences and in arbors to great effect.

Q. What are Knock Out roses and are they hard to grow?

Knock Out roses are amazingly easy to grow. They are disease and drought resistant and self cleaning so it isn’t necessary to do any dead heading. The foliage is dark purple and changes to burgundy in the fall. The blooms come in a variety of colors to suit any gardener. They attain a height of about 4 feet and a width of about 3 feet. For gardeners worried about caring for roses, these are the perfect choice.

Q. Do Knock Out roses need to be pruned?

All roses need to be pruned and the Knock Out rose is no exception. Dead wood can and should be cut out whenever you find it. Ideally Knock Out roses should be pruned ins early spring, but they can be pruned in summer. Summer pruning will slow their growth.

Q. Are carpet roses a ground cover?

No, Flower Carpet roses are a hardy low growing shrub rose. They reach a height of 24 to 32 inches and a width of about 4 feet. They are disease resistant and low maintenance, and will grow in just about every climate zone in the continental United States. They come in six colors and add beautiful and easy care roses to any garden.

Q. I have some problems with my rose garden, do I have to start again from scratch?

No, you can redesign your rose garden by removing plants that are not doing well and transplanting others to new locations. It will take some research and planning. Start considering the changes you want to make in the late fall or winter, so that by early spring you are ready to start. The best time to transplant existing rose bushes is in the early spring while they are still dormant. It”s also the best time to plant new ones. Don’t try to tackle this project when your plants are actively growing.

Q. I have a beautiful rose bush in my yard, but its in an awkward spot. Will I kill it if I try to move it?

It is possible to transplant roses, but it should be done in early spring when the plant is still dormant. Prepare a hole for the rose and fertilize, then very carefully use a spade around the rose bush to be transplanted. Go wide around the plant and deep into the soil in order to avoid cutting any of the roots. Gently remove the plant and move it to its new home. Do make sure the new location has at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.

Today’s Flip MinoHD and Flip UltraHD camcorders make creating a video scrapbook of your roses a snap. These mini camcorders are so thin and small that they can slip right into your purse or pants pocket. Operation is simple, and the buttons are now touch sensitive, like the registers at the store. The video quality is excellent, with vibrant colors and little motion blur. And all the video is HD.

For most camcorders filming is easy enough but uploading your uploading you video can be a challenge. That is definitely not the case Pure Digital’s Flip mini camcorders. The video files are compatible with software for all computers, including Mac’s. There is a flip out USB arm that plugs directly into your computer and makes uploading, emailing, editing and organizing your videos a breeze.

These mini camcorders are very affordable, between $70-$210. The high definition (HD) cameras are a bit more expensive than the standard models, but all of the Flip cameras are very affordable, costing between $70-$210. Although it’s a good idea to shop around for the best prices, the discounts at Amazon are worth checking out — and so are the reviews. I bought the original Flip video camera at Amazon, and it still works just fine. But I must admit I’m tempted by the newer models.

But the usefulness of the Flip mini camcorders certainly outweighs the cost. Did you find on insect on your rose that you can’t identify? Just make a video of the culprit and send to your friend in your rose club who can help identify the insect. Want to share a particularly lovely arrangement of roses with a friend far away. Your problem can now solved with the touch of a button and a quick email.

If you don’t have a camcorder, take some time to check out the Flip series. It may be just the thing you need to document and share your roses online.

• Pace yourself: Don’t expect to get everything done in a day. Getting your rose garden ready can take several weeks. Pace yourself and be satisfied when you complete your task for the day.
• Make a plan: Come up with a plan and goals for the day. This will allow you to make more efficient progress with your rose gardening, and you won’t finish the day feeling like you got nothing accomplished.
• Clean up first: Begin winter clean up of your beds. Get rid any leaves left over from fall, rake away any debris. Remove any winter protection materials you used to protect your roses. Don’t rush, this is a delicate process and you don’t want to damage your rose bush. Inspect your bushes for any damaged and dead canes and cut them back so you can prepare for soil preparation.
• Prepare the soil: If your soil became compacted during the winter months, work the soil. Roses will not live in soil that is not well-drained. When you work the soil, begin to add some organic fertilizer. The soil and the compounds are crucial for the roses to thrive.
• Plant your new roses: Once you complete this, you can add any new rose additions to your bed.
• Spray as necessary: Begin to use fungicide spray after pruning, but vary treatment throughout the year to prevent immunity. Resist the urge to use pesticides until you see insect damage
• Give your roses a drink: Don’t forget to water. Your poor roses have hibernated all winter and now they are hungry. The best way to revive your roses is to water them well.

Following these spring rose gardening tips will get your rose garden off a great start this season. Your work is just beginning, so get ready to enjoy your roses.

Garden coaches share their years of experience with clients and work alongside them to create the ideal garden based on landscape, growing conditions, and the client’s personal taste. One of the most appealing aspects of hiring a coach is knowing that you will benefit from the insight of someone who not only shares your passion for gardening, but also has the expertise to assist you every step of the way.

Most garden coaches offer packages of services that meet the needs of most of their customers. These services cover practically every area of gardening from planning to upkeep. Your coach will offer an objective view of your garden, help you to make the wisest choices about plants to add and even help you to identify old ones.

Garden coaches also teach you how to perform the tasks required to keep plants looking their best, from pruning and deadheading to how to operate garden equipment. Many even offer a monthly task list customized for your garden so that you will remember to perform the upkeep necessary for each season.

If you’re unsure how to locate a garden coach in your area, try talking to members of local garden clubs, gardening centers, or Extension Master Gardeners. The popularity of garden coaches has increased dramatically over the past few years so finding a coach should not prove difficult.

Hiring a garden coach may seem like a novel idea at first, but it’s a great way to help your rose garden reach it’s potential so that it will delight you for years to come.

Rose gardeners will find lots of expert help on the cooperative extension websites. If your state’s website doesn’t answer your questions, another state’s cooperative extension website may.

I recently set up a new website that makes it easy for rose gardeners to search all the websites of the state extension services. Go to the Cooperative Extension Search and just enter your search terms. You might want to try searching for topics like pruning roses or rose pests.

This Google-powered search is restricted to just state cooperative extension websites.

Cooperative Extension Services

Most state cooperative extension services provide a number of services that appeal to both the professional and the beginning gardener. They include:

• Master Gardeners. These are volunteers that study plants that grow well in the state and help others learn to grow them, too. Walking encyclopedias about growing issues within their states or regions, these folks run free seminars to help gardeners learn about plants, conservation and more.
• Soil testing. This might come with a small charge, but many state cooperative extension offices will help farmers and even backyard growers learn about their soil’s consistency so they can make informed decisions about what nutrients need to be added for growing certain crops or plants.
• Plant advice. Most cooperative extension service offices have people on call to answer an array of questions about growing plants in certain areas. They can provide advice about what kinds of trees, plants and flowers to grow in an area.
• Yard and landscape advice. Extension agents and master gardeners can even help with creating a backyard environment that’s friendly to the surrounding ecosystems.
• Plant disease and pest identification. Agents are available to help homeowners and gardeners identify and eradicate pests that might be plaguing plants.
• Conservation programs. Cooperative extension offices provide a lot of information on environmental conservation.

This is just a sampling of what most state cooperative extension services offer. With knowledgeable staff and a veritable army of volunteers, these agencies can provide a world of information on gardening in your specific area.

GardenSites.Info Directory

This is another of my websites that you may find useful. There’s a special page listing the links to Cooperative Extension and Master Gardener websites by state.

Update: The Cooperative Extension search mentioned in this post is no longer available. Check the links in the www.gardensites.info directory instead.